Cutting or punching machine



June 9, 1931, J. HUSLER CUTTING OR PUNCHING MACHINE Filed May I51, 19293 Sheets-Sheet 1 M am June 9, 1931. J. HUSLER 1,809,

CUTTING 0R PUNCHING MACHINE Filed May 51. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 TOMHWMJune 9, 1931. J, HusLER' 1,809,040

CUTTING 0R PUNCHING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 T MQmPatented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics JOHN HUSLER, OFSLAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION,OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY CUTTING ORPUNCI-IING MACHINE 7 Application filed May 31,

This invention relates to cutting or punching machines and 1S hereinlllustrated as embodied in a machineof the gang type such as is shown inLetters Patent of the United States No. 1,667,184, granted April 24,1928 on the application of M. H. Ballard.

Machines of the type illustrated in the above-mentioned patent are usedto a considerable extent in the manufacture of shoes where it is desiredto create a design of pre determined conformation by cutting or punchingout portions of the leather of the upper of the shoe so as to produce anorna' mental effect by reason of the removal of these small portions ofthe leather. In such machines, the die is rigidly supported with itscutting edges uppermost and the work is pressed against the cuttingedges of the die by means of a presser member, the arrangement beingsuch that the die is slidably mounted in the machine to provide formovement forwardly to facilitate the accurate positioning of work on thedie andchips will break the die or at the very least will get bet-weenthe work and the die and spoil the work. H

Dies of the gang type commonly employed in machines, such as thatillustrated in Letters Patent No. 1,667,184, to which reference has beenmade above, are commonly built up out of a relatively'light steel platewhich is so constructed as to provide upstanding.

cutting edges surrounding apertures for the passage of the chips of thematerial, and of a more massive supporting plate of less on pensivematerial by means of which the rigidity of the die is insured and whichmust also be apertured to permit the escape of the chips of material.The pressure applied to the die may be several thousand pounds.

1929. Serial No. 367,587.

WVith such pressures, deflections ofportions of a die below otherportions thereof are apt to occur and such deflections even if they-areonly a few thousandths of an inch in magnitude, will usually causeimperfect cutting of the leather. A proper support for a die is,therefore, very necessary for perfect operation of the machine. Becauseof the large variety of designs embodied in such dies it has not beenvfound feasible to provide supporting plates having apertures which wouldbe common to any considerable number of dies but the supporting platehas been individually fashioned for the die of which it forms a partbecause the supporting plate must be carefully constructed and arrangedto provide adequate support adjacent to and'between the cutters. As aresult, a considerable amount of machine work and consequent expense hasbeen embodied in the supporting vidual dies.

In view of the above conditions, the invention provides a die comprisinga supporting plate of standard form apertured for the passage of chipsof material and pro-' vided with a plurality of frangible projec-j tionshaving surfaces supporting the die between apertures therein. At thesame time, one or more of these frangible projections may be readilychipped or removed as the die is assembled in case the top of theprojection closes an aperture within the said cutting edges and wouldhinder the escape of chips of material. Thus, to adapt a supportingplate for embodiment in any par: ticular die it is only necessary toremoveone or more small pieces of metal whichmay readily be done by.means of a cold chisel.

plates employed for indi- In addition,the support provided for the dieis not adversely affected because there remains a large number ofprojections, the tops of which are so disposed in the plane of the uppersurface of the supporting plate and arranged adjacent to the aperturesof l same time, a piece of work cannot be positioned on the die with anyfacility While the die is directly beneath the presser member in itsoperative position in the machine. Projecting tracks mounted on thefront of the machine have been provided, therefore, to assist insupporting the die as it is moved forward to permit the positioning of apiece of work, but Such tracks are necessarily somewhat in the way andare not always favored by the machine operatives who depend, foradequate wages, upon producing a maximum quantity of work.

In the machine herein illustrated, inaccordance with another feature ofthe invention, the supporting tracks are mounted on the front of themachine at alevel beneath the plane of movement of the die as it isdrawn forward, so as to be less in the way, and a handle is providedwhich is detachably secured to the die, which handle cooperates withthese tracks to support the die in 1ts forward moperative posltion, and

which also assists in guiding the die as it is drawn out. A cordattached to a treadle is sometimes provided for pulling the die out butmany operatives do not like this arrangement and, accordingly, theillustrated handle has a central portion shaped so that it may readilybe grasped by the hand of the operative when he desires to pull the dieout manually instead of with the aid of a foot treadle. Further, asillustrated, the handle is drilled for the reception of a stop rod whichmay be adjustably clamped in position in the handle to determine theinner position of the die, and the ends of the handle have flangesengaging the edges of the tracks still further to assist in guiding thedie to forward position so that it will slide easily and not bind themachine.

These and other features of the invention are more fully described inthe following specification taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. l is a vertical, longitudinal section throughthe machine from front to back;

Fig. 2 is an angular view of a tip die;

Fig. 3 is a-corresponding view of a supporting plate for such a diehaving a tip gage and a handle detachably secured thereon;

Fig. 4 shows another form of gage combined with the same die andassembled upon the same plate, the position of the handle having beenchanged from one to the other of the opposing edges of said plate;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal upright section through the die shown in Fig.4, taken on theline VV.

In the machine herein illustrated, the die 10 is slidably'mounted forin-and-out movement onan inclined bed 12 which is apertured to providefor the passage of chips of material or pillsh; A drawer 13 facilitatesthe disposal of the chips. This bed 12 forms part of a frame having sidepieces 14 which provide bearings for a power operated shaft 16 by meansof which a presser member 18 is vertically reciprocated to carry piecesof work against the die. Commonly, a strip of backing material 20 isinterposed between the presser member and the work and coming from asource of supply, not

shown, mounted on a bracket 22 passses down over the front of themachine under the presser member and between the rolls of a feedingmechanism 24 whereby it is drawn along step by step as it is used.

A die 10 including its supporting plate 30, to be later and more fullydescribed, fillsthe space betweenthe side frames 14 and is guidedthereby. for forward movement as the die is drawn into position for theconvenient placement of work thereon. Obviously, however, when the dieis in forward position, it is nearly withdrawn from the machine so thatit isless subject to the guiding effect of the sides ofthemachine and isin danger of tilting forward unless adequate support is provided.Accordingly, forwardly projecting tracks 32 are adjustably secured inposition upon a cross bar 34 which is supported by duplicate hangers 36attached to the outer sides of the frame of the machine. A cross bar 38extends between the forward ends of the tracks to increase theirrigidity and an adjusting screw 40 is provided to assist in assemblingthe machine so that the upper surfaces of the tracks may be brought intoa plane parallel to the plane of the bed 12 of the machine but at asubstantially lower level so as to be less in the way of the operator.

Since the plane of the tracks is consider ably below that of the planeof the bed 12,

depending means are provided in the form of a bracket 44 which is spreadout at its rear end to facilitate its attachment to the forward end ofthe supporting plate 30 by means of studscrews 46 and the forward end ofwhich is provided with a handle 42 having its central portion rounded sothat it may be grasped. conveniently by the hand of the operator. Thebracket 44 is apertured at 48 to provide for a stop rod 50 (Fig; 1)which is held in adjusted position by aset screw 52 so that it willabutthe frame of the machine and stop the die in such an in ner positionthat the die and the portion of the work to be punched come directlyunder the pressermember 18; It will be noted: from Fig. 4 that a crossrod 54 mounted in the handle to provide reduced portions whichv rideupon the upper edges of the tracks 32. The die is guided by thecooperation of shoulders 56 formed on the ends of the handle 42 with theinner edges of the tracks and the added cooperation between the outeredges of the tracks and flanges 58 secured to the outer ends of the rod54:. When it is desired to move the die by means of a foot treadle, thena cord 64: (Fig. 1) may be attached to a pin 60 in the handle and guidedforwardly over a pulley 62 rotatably mounted on the cross rod 38 at theforward ends of the tracks.

It will be noted that the forward ends of the tracks 32 are notched at66 so that when the die is in its forward position it may be retainedthere during the positioning of the piece of work on the top of the dieby dropping the rod 51 of the handle 12 into these notches 66. After thework has been positioned the die may be readily slid back to theoperative position shown in Fig. 1 as determined by the stop rod 50.

One of the many forms of dies to which my invention is applicable isillustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 and comprises a thin die plate 7 0 embodyinga plurality of tubular punches or cutting members 72 which are assembledin said plate in accordance with any desired design. The design hereinillustrated is especially suited for the tips of shoes and comprises arow of larger punches 7st alternated with pairs of smaller punches 7 6,which row of punches is adapted to make a line of perforations extendingtransversely of the tip where it is oined to the vamp. The die alsoincludes a group of the punches 72 arranged to form a center design ormedallion within the tip for the decoration thereof. Positioned back ofor underneath the die plate is an intermeuiate plate 5) having apertures82 arranged to register with the apertures of the punches 72, 74 and 76,which apertures are of exactly the same size as those of the interiorsof the punches so as not to interfere with the passage of chips ofmaterial cut out by the punches while the surrounding material of theplate 80 supports the punches 72, 7d and T6. These two plates aresecured together by screws 84 (Fig. 2) and as a unit are provided withdepending dowel pins 86 adapted to be inserted in holes 88 of thesupporting plate 30.

This supporting plate 30 is cutaway, adjacent to its central portion, toform an opening 90 corresponding in general to the shape of the designscommonlyemployed in dies of this class, and provided with a grating 92in which the upper edges of the bars of the grating are below the levelof the upper surface 94 of said supporting block. Said upper edges are,however, provided with a plurality of cylindrical or frusto-conicalprojections 96 extending upwardly to the level of the surface 9 1 andground so that the smooth tops of said projections 96 are exactly in theplane of the surface 9 1. These projections thus serve individually andcollectively to support the die plate between and adjacent to the aper-65 tures thereof so as to insure a complete rigidity of the die andprevent as far as practicable in a commercial machine deformation of thedie plate under the pressure of the machine.

-The supporting plate 30, as has been previously intimated, is of such adesign that it is common to any one of a large number of dies with whichit may be assembled and provides a minimum of interference for the freepassage of chips of material cutout by the punches 72, 7 1 and 76. Incase, however, one or two of the projections 96 happen to come directlyunderneath some of the punch tubes, it is possible to remove theoffending projections without adversely affecting the support providedby the plate 30, as a whole. As shown, for example, in Figs. 3 and 5,the projections 98 and 99, of those designated generally as theprojections 96, have been chipped away at their corners to preventinterference with the passage of chips through particular punch tubes100 and 102. The supporting plate with its projections is of frangiblematerial, such as cast iron, and corners of, or the whole of, anyparticular projection may be very readily removed by means of a coldchisel and hammer. Although the particular supporting plate 30 which isillustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 is especially adapted for use with a tipdie of the kind illustrated, still it will be understood that whenlarger dies, such as are used for winged tips or other purposes, are tobe employed the supporting plate may be provided with differently shapedapertures and with an entirely different arrang ment of its grating barsand projections without, however, departing from the principle of theinvention embodied.

The supporting block 30 is also provided with screws 104 (Fig. 3) forsupporting a 108 having depending pins 110. This gage plate 108 securedby screws 112 to a plate 114: which is guided for up and-down movementin a notched plate 106 by means of studs 116 having headed bottom endsand normally held in elevated position by means of springs 118. Marks120 (Fig.

3) are inscribed upon the upper surface of the supporting plate 30, andthe edge of the notched plate 106 is engraved at 122 to assist theoperator in moving the 108 toward or away from the die in accordancewith the size of the tip to be punched. The depressible arrangement ofthe gage plate 108 allows it to stickup above the level of the stripperpate 130 2) such as is commonly employed in dies of this type andthereby to enable the operator to position the rear edge 132 of a tip13% against the gage pins 110 when said gage pins are in the relativeposition indicated in Fig. 1 above the level of the stripper plate 130.The stripper plateis held up by springs 136 and limited in its movementby headed studs 13 8.

If desired, a pinking blade 140 (Fig. 2) may be clamped in positionadjacent to the line of punch tubes 74 and 7 6 so as to trim the edge ofthe tip at the same time that it is perforated. For convenience insecuring this pinking blade 140, the, rear edge of the die plate isformed in a curve parallel to the curve of the punch tubes 74 and 76 andset screws 142 passing through detachable blocks 144 are utilized forclamping the pinking blade 1 10 against the edge of the die plate '70.Filler strips 146 may be associated with the pinking blade 14.0 to varyits dis tance from the row of perforations. The studs 1% have dependingscrews by means of which they are secured in the intermediate plate 80.

It will be understood by those familiar with shoe factory practice thatthe die illus trated in Fig. 2 may readily be used for perforatingshield tips such as that shown at 150 in Fig. 4 by removing the gage 108and substituting therefor a larger supporting plate 152. This plate issubstituted for the plate 108 by removing the screws 112 from the gageplate 108 and mounting the plate 152 on the cross plate 114. At he sametime, collars 15 1 are threaded over the lower ends of the studs 116 todraw the plate 152 down to the level of the stripper plate 130 so thatthe vamp 150 will lie fiat upon the surface provided by the plates 130and 152. A series of gage marks 156 and 158 is provided on the uppersurface of the plate 152 to assist the operator in positioning the vamp,and in addition a pair of throat engaging pins 160 are provided whichare mounted on the inner ends of flat springs 162 secured to the undersurface of the plate 152. This arrangement requires that the handle 12be detached and secured again to the opposite edge of the supportingplate 30.

Suitable threaded holes 164 and 166 (Fig.

' 5) which, with the stud screws 46, consti tute securing means, areprovided for this purpose. A recess 168 in the supporting plate 30 issimply for the purpose of lightening that plate without affecting itsoperation or utility.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A die for use in a cuttin or punching machine comprising a memberprovided with cutting edges and having apertures for the of chips ofmaterial, and a supporting plate for said member also having aperturesfor the passage of the chips of material and provined with a pluralityof frangible. projections having surfaces sup-. porting said memberbetween the aperatures therein.

2. A die for use in a cutting or punching machine comprising a memberprovided with cutting edges and having apertures for the passage ofchips of material, and an apertured supporting plate for said memberhaving a plane surface on which the member rests and also provided witha plurality of frangible projections, the tops of which are disposed inthe plane of the upper surface of said plate.

3. A die for use in acutting or punching machine comprising a memberhaving apertures for the passage of chips of material and cutting'edges'to produce a design upon a piece of work, and an aperturedsupport ing plate for said member, said plate being provided with agrating across its opening, a portion of said grating being providedwith frangible projections which are constructed and arranged to supportthe member at points adjacent to the apertures therein.

4. A die for use in a cutting or punching machine comprising a memberprovided 'ith cutting edges and for producing openings in a piece ofwork having apertures for the passage of chips of material cut from thework, and a supporting plate for said member provided with an aperturein which there is a grating having bars which are tapered at their upperportions, said grating being provided with a plurality of frangibleprojections the upper ends of whichare in the plane of the upper surfaceof the supporting plate.

5. A standard supporting plate for dies adapted for use in cutting orpunching machines, said plate being constructed and arranged forembodiment in any one of a plurality of dies in which pieces of the workpass through apertures in the cutting members of the die, saidsupporting plate being also apertured to permit the passage of cuttingsfrom the work and constructed and arranged to provide a supportingsurface for the cutting members of the dies readily adapted for anyparticular design of die by being provided with a large number ofrelatively small. frangible projections the upper ends of which are in aplane so that together they provide a large supporting area sufiiclentto allow the destruction of one or more projections which may interferewith the passage of chips through any particular opening in the diewithout adversely affecting the support provided.

6. A die for use in a cutting or punching machine comprising asupporting plate for an apertured cutting member of a die, saidsupporting plate having apertures for the passage of chips of materialand pro viding a relatively large and rigid support for the die, toprevent distortion thereof, by means of a large number of relativelysmall frangible projections arranged be tween the apertures in thesupporting plate and having the surfaces of the upper ends of theprojections finished in a single plane so that the projections willuniformly support the cutting member, while at the same time anoccasional projection may be broken out in case it interferes with thepassage of chips with a minimum lessening of the support provided.

7. In cutting or punching machine, a die slidably mounted for movementinto and out of the machine, guide tracks secured to the machine and ahandle for said die having flanges adapted to engage said tracks toguide the die.

8. In a cutting or punching machine adapted to be positioned upon asupport such as a bench, a platen, a die supporting bed in line with theplaten face and inclined upwardly toward the operator, a die slidablymounted on the bed for movement into and out of the machine, an inclinedsupport extending outwardly from the machine having a supporting surfaceparallel to the die bed and with its inner end substantially midwaybetween the die bed and the supporting bench, and means depending fromthe forward part of the die resting on said support.

9. In a cutting or punching machine, a platen, a die supporting bed inline with the face of the platen, a die slidably mounted on the bed formovement into and out of the machine, depending hangers on the machine,tracks carried by said hangers to extend outwardly from the machine andhaving supporting surfaces substantially below the die bed and paralleltherewith whereby the outer ends of the tracks do not interfere withplacing work on the die, and an arm depending from the forward part ofthe die resting on said tracks and in guiding engagement therewith.

10. In a cutting or punching machine, a die slidably mounted formovement into and out of the machine, supporting and guiding tracksrigidly mounted on the machine at a lower level than the die, adepending handle for said die having a central portion adapted to bereadily grasped by the hand of the operator, and terminal flangesconstructed and arranged to overlie said tracks thereby to assist insupporting and guiding the die.

11. In a cutting or punching machine, a die slidably mounted formovement into and out of the machine, tracks rigidly mounted on themachine to assist in supporting the die in its outward position, andmeans interposed between the die and the tracks comprising a crossmember resting on the tracks to assist in supporting and guiding thedie, said tracks being deformed near their forward ends to retain thedie in the pulledout position of the die by coaction with said crossmember.

12-. In a cutting or punching machine, supa die said handle mounted formovement into porting and guiding tracks on said machine,

slidably mounted thereon for movement into and out of the machine, and ahandle for said die comprising a centrally projecting bracket providedwith a cross member shaped for convenient engagement by the hand of theoperator and having, its ends constructed and arranged for guidingengagement with said tracks.

18. In acutting or punching machine, a die slidably mountedfor movementinto and out of the machine, tracks projecting outwardly from themachine, a handle interposed between said die and said tracks to assistin supporting and guiding the die, said handle having reduced portionsfor engagement with the tracks, and flanges both inside and outside thetracks.

14. In a cutting or punching machine, a die slidably mounted formovement into and out of the machine, tracks projecting outwardly fromthe machine, a handle interposed between said die and said tracks toassist in supporting and guiding the die, having a substantiallycentrally disposed outwardly projecting bracket, and a cross membershaped for convenient engagement by the hand of the operator, the endsof said cross member being provided with flanges adapted to overhang theedges of said tracks to assist in guiding the die into and out of themachine.

15. In a cutting or punching machine, a die having apertures for thepassage of chips of material, said machine providing a support for saiddie when in working position and guides to permit movement of the dieinto and out of the machine to facilitate positioning of the work on thedie, the machine also having outwardly projecting guide tracks, asupporting plate for the die having apertures for the passage of chipsof material and provided with a plurality of frangible projections whichare constructed and arranged to support the die at points between theapertures therein, and a handle for said die having flanges adapted toengage said tracks to guide the die when it is moved forward to positionthe work thereon.

16. In a cutting or punching machine, a die having a supporting plateslidably and out of the machine, said die and plate being capable ofreversal and movement into the machine with either of two opposed edgesforward according to the class of work to be out, said supporting platehaving its opposed edges provided with securing means, a bandle for saiddie adapted to be attached with the aid of said securing means to eitheredge of said supporting plate, tracks projecting outwardly from themachine, said handle being constructed and arranged to rest on thetracks thereby to guide the die for movement from front to back and toassist in supporting the die when in forward position.

17. In a cutting or punching machine, a die, a bed for supporting saiddie for sliding movement into and out of operative position, a handleattached to said die to facilitate withdrawing the die from the machine,and a rod adjustably mounted in said handle constructed and arranged tocooperate with the machine to determine the operative position of thedie when it is moved back into the machine.

18. In a cutting or punching machine, a die, an inclined bed forsupporting said die for sliding movement into and out of operativeposition in the machine, a handle attached to the die to facilitatewithdrawal thereof from the machine, an aperture in said handle, a stoprod passing through sald aperture constructed and arranged to abut aportion of the machine, and means for adjustably securing said rod insaid handle thereby to assist the operator in determining the operativeposition of the die.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN HUSLER.

